How many tons of gravel do I need?
A 10 x 40 ft single-car driveway 4 inches deep takes about 6.91 tons of gravel (4.94 cubic yards at 1.4 tons per yard). A cubic yard of gravel weighs about 1.4 tons.
Gravel is sold by the ton or the cubic yard. Work out the cubic yards (length × width × depth in inches ÷ 12 ÷ 27), then multiply by about 1.4 for tons. The table uses 1.4; crushed stone and pea gravel usually fall between 1.3 and 1.5.
| Job | Size | Cubic yards | Tons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden path | 3 x 30 ft, 2 in | 0.56 | 0.78 tons |
| Patio base | 12 x 12 ft, 4 in | 1.78 | 2.49 tons |
| Shed pad | 10 x 12 ft, 4 in | 1.48 | 2.07 tons |
| Single-car driveway | 10 x 40 ft, 4 in | 4.94 | 6.91 tons |
| Two-car driveway | 20 x 40 ft, 4 in | 9.88 | 13.83 tons |
| Two-car driveway, 6 in | 20 x 40 ft, 6 in | 14.81 | 20.74 tons |
Base layers
Driveways and patios last longer on a compacted base of crushed stone (often called crusher run or road base) under the top layer. Budget each layer separately: work out its depth and add the tons together.
Order a little extra. Gravel compacts, spreads at the edges and settles over the first year.